E.E. Canberra WJ615

Carn an t-Sagairt Mor, Grampians

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PAGE 2 (Search, Investigation and Recovery Photos (1956))

MediaCredits

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Alan Clark of Peak District Air Accident Research for kindly providing Air Accident data and other information for this aircraft, together with photos of the search and recovery operation.

Many thanks also to Jon Bowyer for kindly providing recent photos of the remaining wreckage.

Again, many thanks to Pat Macguire for kindly providing additional photos of the remaining wreckage.

Copyright Notice

All photographic material remains the property of the original author, and may not be reproduced elsewhere without that author's prior written permission.

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Aircraft Type Photo

BELOW: An RAF English Electric Canberra bomber / photo-reconnaissance aircraft at the classic Kemble Air Show, Gloucestershire, England in 2003.

a canberra bomber

Photo: 2003 Adrian Pingstone ('Arpingstone'). Released by the author to the public domain.

Aircraft Type and Background

RAF English Electric Canberra B.2 / WJ615

Aircraft manufacturer: Handley Page Ltd.

Other manufacturers of this type:

Avro

Shorts

(Like Handley Page, both Avro and Shorts were subcontracted by English Electric to help cope with demand);

BAC (subcontractor to English Electric following liquidation or merger of the earlier manufacturers);

Martin B-57 Canberra (US Type built under licence.)

Aircraft Type Nickname: "Cranberry"; Caterpillar", and others.

Built as a successor to the de Havilland Mosquito, the English Electric Canberra became one of the RAF's longest serving aircraft. Used initially as a high-altitude jet bomber, the Canberra was put into service latterly as a photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Between its two roles, the type served with the RAF for over 50 years.

As it was designed to fly high and fast, the Canberra did not carry any defensive armaments. However, as a bomber, the aircraft could carry 6,000lbs of bombs internally plus under-wing gun pods or another 1,000 of bombs externally.

The modified B.2 variant of the Canberra, which is the type featured here, first flew in 1950.

Many of these Canberras served with the RAF in Malaya, and Egypt during the Suez Crisis. Martin B-57 Canberras served with the USAF in Vietnam. Canberras were also used by the RAAF in Australia against targets in Malaya and Vietnam.

Equipped with Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, the Canberra had a maximum speed of just over 600mph, and a ceiling greater than 48,000ft.

A No. 39 (PRU) Squadron Canberra remained in service at RAF Marham until 28 July 2006, when the type was finally retired from the RAF.

BELOW: An RAAF English Electric Canberra bomber.

an english electric canberra bomber

Photo: 2007 'DJGB'. Released by the author to the public domain under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

Aircraft Accident Details

This particular Canberra was attached to No.35 Squadron RAF. (No.50 Squadron had also been equipped with Canberras, but theirs had been replaced 10 months prior to this accident with Avro Vulcan bombers)

Flying Officer Redman (Pilot), with Flying Officer Mansell (Navigator), of No.35 Squadron was detailed to fly Canberra B.2 WJ615 on an authorised 3 hours night sortie.

At 18:02 (Zulu) hours the aircraft took off from RAF Upwood (Cambridgeshire, England), received clearance and departed for Kinloss (Scotland) Weather conditions for the entire trip were good.

At 19.00 hours the aircraft made R/T contact with Kinloss, after which a normal QGH¹ from 25,000ft followed by a visual circuit and overshoot of runway 26 was carried out.

At 19.21 hours the aircraft was seen to climb away from an overshoot height of approximately 300ft by Kinloss Air Traffic Control who passed two regional pressure settings. Flying Officer Redman replied "Thank You. Good Night." This was the last transmission heard from the aircraft.

The aircraft was seen to climb away for its return to Upwood. At about 19.30 hours (appoximately) witnesses from near Braemar heard a jet aircraft pass at an unusually low altitude for that area. One witness saw what must have been the tail navigation light, and the outline of the aircraft as it passed flying south, with the engines sounding normal and on a straight course. A few minutes later the witness saw a flash as it struck the hills [Carn an t-Sagair Mòr]. It was a clear night with a small amount of scattered cloud.

About 30 civilian volunteers, guided by Police and Queen's gamekeepers, and two RAF Service Mountain Rescue Teams (Leuchars 10 men and Kinloss 22 men) and a helicopter were engaged in the search for the wreckage. At 03.30 hours (23 November 1956) three search parties from [the] Danzig Shiel²(OS 50/201905) were sent out in a SE direction. Party 'B' was just approaching the wreckage when the helicopter sighted it at 08.40 hours.

The subsequent Court of Inquiry was unable to determine the cause of the accident.³

Footnotes:

¹ QGH (or CDTC): Air Traffic Control code for 'Controlled Descent Through Cloud'.

²Shiels: Cottage homes built on the instructions of Queen Victoria to replace ageing huts or bothies on the Royal Estate at Balmoral.

The Danzig Shiel: One such cottage home situated within the Royal forest. Occupied in part by the head keeper, but with rooms reserved for Royal use.

³ Details based on Accidents Investigation Branch (Civil Aviation) Report, which was kindly made available by Alan Clark of Peak District Air Accident Research.

Aircraft Crew Casualties

Both airmen died in this accident. These were:

Flying Officer A A Redman (20), Pilot, RAF
Flying Officer A A Mansell, Navigator, RAF

Crash Site Photos

NOTE: Wreckage from Canberra WJ615 was scattered over a wide area. The photos below show some of this wreckage, most of which is associated with the mainplane. Other parts of the aircraft, such as the turbojets, can be seen in the black and white photos on Page 2.

BELOW: An overview of the remaining wreckage showing the main wing assembly.

main wing assembly

BELOW: A closer view of part of the Canberra's main wing. Partly visible is the aircraft's code: WJ615.

closer view of Canberra wing section

BELOW: Part of the Canberra's tail cone.

part of the Canberra's tail plane

BELOW: Rear section of one of the turbojet engines (combustion chamber housing?) from the Canberra. (See also black and white photos on page 2.)

rear section of turbojet engine

BELOW: Possibly, main spar from Canberra (?).

unindentified section - perhaps main spar

BELOW: Possibly, jet pipe.

possibly, jet pipe

BELOW: Possibly, wing leading edge. Electro-mechanical and pneumatic parts just visible.

possibly, wing leading edge

BELOW: Wheel and part of oleo strut.

wheel and oleo leg section

BELOW: Wheel from opposite side showing hub.

wheel from opposite side showing hub

BELOW: Possibly, an oxygen bottle.

possibly oxygen bottle

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

BELOW: Overall view of the Canberra's remaining mainplane or main wing section. This perhaps is the largest single piece of wreckage remaining onsite.

The wing extends from the tip to the point where the turbojet engine would have been embedded. The wing root section is missing, probably severed from the remainder of the wing when the turbojet engine fractured.

Overall view of Canberra WJ615 remaining main wing section

BELOW: Part of the main wing close to where one of the turbojet engines sheared off.

part of wing section where turbojet engine sheared off during crash

BELOW: End view of mainplane section.

The Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines were embedded in the wings rather than being suspended from pylons beneath the wings (see photos of intact Canberra aircraft near the top of this page). These turbojets were stripped out of the wings during the crash.

end view of main wing section

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PAGE 2: (Search, Investigation and Recovery Photos (1956))

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Crash Date / Site

Accident Date: 22 Nov 1956

Accident Site:

Carn an t-Sagairt Mòr

(1,047m / 3,430ft)

Region: Aberdeenshire (Southern Grampians)

Nearest town or village:

Braemar

Nearest large towns:

Ballater (E), Newtonmore (W) or Kingussie (W)

OS Grid Refs:

(wing pieces): NO 209 844

(wing section): NO 207 844

GPS Ref: N/A

Present Condition: Significant wreckage remains onsite, including large mainplane section (wing) and turbine parts.

Aircraft Details

Registration or Serial: WJ615

Operator: RAF (35 Squadron)

Operating Base: RAF Upwood

Base Location: Bury, Cambridgeshire, England

Current Airport Status: Closed by MoD in 1994, and site returned to civil ownership. Part of the site is now a USAF installation (non-airborne), while another part of the site is used by Nene Valley Gliding Club and an Air Cadet Squadron.

Current Airport Name: Upwood

Principal airport data courtesy of John Woodside, A Catalogue of UK Airfields